Santa Barbara (124)Santa Barbara, the coastal city known for its pleasant climate and stunning vistas, boasts a rich, interesting history. Join us as we explore the area's various architectural styles, recreational offerings and world-class accommodations.
Santa Barbara Facts:
- El Cuartel, the oldest building in Santa Barbara, is all that remains of the last of four Royal Presidios (Spanish military outposts) built along the coast of Alta, Calif.
- El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- The Presidio, a combination military fortress and town center, was built by early Spanish settlers in 1782.
- Mission Santa Barbara was built by Franciscan monks in 1786.
- The mission is open daily; tours are $4 per person
- The temperature in Santa Barbara ranges from 41-65 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and from 55-73 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer.
- El Encanto, which means "the enchanted," has 83 cottages and villas. Room rates range from $229-$800 per night.
- The Santa Cruz Island 10-hour guided tour costs $150 per person.
- Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier were married at San Ysidro Ranch. The ranch also served as the West Coast honeymoon site of John and Jacqueline Kennedy.
- San Ysidro Ranch room rates range from $399-$4,100 per night.
Contact Information:
El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas
1900 Lausen Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
800-346-7039, www.elencantohotel.com
San Ysidro Ranch
900 San Ysidro Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
800-368-6788, www.sanysidroranch.com
Santa Barbara Mission
2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
www.sbmission.org
Santa Barbara Historical Museum
136 East De La Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-966-1601, www.santabarbaramuseum.com
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
123 E. Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara, CA
For information about El Presidio, contact
Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
805-965-0093, www.sbthp.org
RESOURCES:
Insiders Guide to Santa Barbara: Including Channel Islands National Park (Insiders' Guide to Santa Barbara, 2nd Ed)
by Karen Hastings
